Rachel Armstrong beats up grandmother, could face new charges

ST. LOUIS (KSDK) - Additional charges could be brought against a granddaughter who confessed to beating up her 92-year-old grandmother.

The request for new charges comes after the grandmother died on Sunday and St. Louis County police believe the woman died from her injuries.

Neighbors say she was practically raised by her grandmother, and now 37-year-old Rachel Armstrong has confessed to police that she beat up her grandmother so severely that it would eventually kill her.

"I was amazed, stunned, I couldn't believe that something like this could happen to such a nice woman, and I just didn't know what to think, what could possibly have caused Rachel to go like she did," said Bill Swanson, who has lived across the street from the Armstrongs for more than 20 years and says he saw Rachel grow up and become of mom of her own.

He says the relationship between Rachel and her grandmother, Angela, was rocky one.

"I've seen her [Rachel] have her outbursts in the front yard and seen her yelling and screaming at Mrs. Armstrong in the past," said Swanson.

Neighbor Jim Bourisaw says the Armstrongs mainly kept to themselves.

He says from the time he moved into the neighborhood more than 30 years ago Angela was doing her best to raise Rachel.

"She was trying to be like every other parent always trying to look out for your kids and your grandkids if you can or whatever," said Bourisaw.

Swanson says the night of November 12, 2012 Rachel's daughter came running over to his house, asking for help and used their phone to call police.

"Saying that something had happened to her great grandmother and she was scared and cold and didn't know what to do," remembered Swanson.

Police say that's the night that Rachel threw down her 92-year-old grandmother, stomping on her, breaking both her arms and eight ribs.

"This is a real shame that something like that would happen to such a nice woman because I don't think she had a mean bone in her body, I really don't," said Swanson.

As of now Rachel is facing elderly abuse charges but county police are requesting those charges be upgraded. Rachel who remains behind bars, and told police she believed her grandmother was a demon when she was beating her up.